Semaphorical direction-indicator.



"G. I. WATTS.

SEMAPHORIGAL DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1913.

Patented June 16,1914.

UN STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE FREDRICK WATTS, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SEMAPHORICAL DIRECTION-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. WA'rrs, acitizen, of the United States, residin at Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and tate of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Semaphorical Direction-Indicators; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' This invention relates to direction indicators for vehicles and as itsprincipal object contemplates the provision of a selnaphorical signalwhich will indicate by day, as well as by night, to oncoming vehicles,the direction to be taken by the signal carrying vehicle in the eventthat the driver contemplates a turn.

A still-further object is to provide a device of the character abovedescribed which, besides performing the functions of a directionindicator, will also act as the ordinary rear danger light required bythe laws of practically all States of the Union.

The above and additional objects are ac complished by such means as areillustrated inthe accompanying drawings, de-

scribed in the following specification, and then more particularlypointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part ofthis application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferredembodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice,

' and throughout the several views of which similar reference numeralsdesignate correspending parts: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of anautomobile equipped with the direction indicator of this invention. Fig.2 is a section taken through the indicator and illustrating in detailthe interior' mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings, the numerall desinates the base boa rd of this invention, to WhlCh are secured,

semaphore arms 6 and 7 is similar in each of the casings, 1 and 2, ithas been deemed necessary to describe only one set of apparatus.

The semaphore arm 6 is pivotally mounted slightly above the center ofthe casing 3 on a horizontal shaft 8, secured to the front or rear wallof the member 3, as may be desired. Fixed to the primary stem 9 of thesemaphore arm 6 is a secondary stem 10, the longitudinal axis of whichextends at an approximate angle of ?&5 to the longitudinal axis of themember 9. Connected to the free end of the member 10 by a link lever 11is a lever arm 12'pivotally mounted at a point approximately midwaybetween its Patented J line 16, 1914. Application filed April 25, 1913.Serial no. 763,689.

free terminal and its center on a horizontal shaft 13, secured tothe-wall of the casing 3, and spaced about the shaft 8, as illustratedin Fig. 3. Extending longitudinally of the member 12 and arrangedapproximately centrally thereof is a pin slot 14 disposed to receive aconnecting longitudinally exten ing slot formed in the vertical pawl rod17. The upper terminal of the member 17 is secured to a plate 18, fixedat each terminal to the lower ends of a pair of sliding solenoid cores19. The cores 19 are adapted to be drawn upwardly when the magnetos 20are energized. The lower end of the member 17 carries a lateral arm 21,the lowered e of which is concave as at 22 to correspon with the roundedter minal s' of the members 9 and 10. In the down position of the member6, the rounded terminals of the members 9 and 10 rest in the concaveportion 22 and upon upward movement of the arm 6 slide downwardlyagainst theadjacent edge of the arm 17 As a means for locking the arm 6in down position there is provided a laterally extending lug 23 carriedby the member 9 and provided with a concave recess in its upper face,which is adapted to receive the rounded terminal of the member 17 inlooking engage'ment when the arm 6 is in down'position.

The actual construction of the semaphore arm being thus disclosed, the 1description of the operation of the semaphore andactuating m'eanstherefor is taken :up as next in order. In this connection it will beobserved that when the magnets 20 are energized the cores 19 will bedrawn upwardly carrymg them the pull rod 17. In the initial position ofthe" arm 17, the pm 15 bears pin 15, operating in a r -of the slot 16 atwhich time the lower terminal of the rod 17 will have been withdrawnfrom engagement with the concave recess of the member 23, that is formedintegral with the stems 9 of each of the semaphore arms 6 and 7 adjacentthe pivoted terminals thereof. These recessed lugs 23 are normally inlocking engagement with the rounded lower terminals of the rod 17. Whenthe pin 15 has reached the lower terminal of the slot 16, motion is ofcourse communicated to the arm 6 through. the members 12,11,10 and 9,and when the plate 18 has been drawn into contact with the magnets 20,the arm 6 will have reached the horizontal position indicated at 6 inFig. 2.

Whenemploying the structure above described, during the day time, thearms 6 and 7 are normally in down position and when the driver wishes toindlcate that he is about to make a right turn, he closes the circuitthrough the magnet and the casing 3, consequently drawing the arm 6 intohorizontal position. This will render the arm 6 discernible to thedrivers of oncoming cars and will notify them that the driver of thevehicle is about to make a right turn. The

operation of the signal to indicate a left turn is of course similar,except that the arm 7 which is on the left hand side of the base 1 isemployed.

As a means for making the signal effective at night when it would beimpossible to see the semaphore arms in horizontal position, there hasbeen provided an electric lamp 24, carried on the rear wall of each ofthe casings 2 and 3, and arranged in alinement with a preferably yellowlens 25, mounted in the front wall of each of the casings 2 and 3. Atnight time the arms 6 and 7 are normally in down position, at which timethere is no light discernible, and the drivers of on coming cars willknow that the driver of the signal carrying car is intending to pursue astraight course. When the driver of the signal carrying car desires toindicate that he is about to make a right turn, thecore 20 of the arm 6is energized, and the arm is drawn up into horizontal position, aspreviously described. The electric lights in 'each'casing are shunted inthe solenoid sir-- cuit and are therefore illuminated when either of thearms is drawn up into horizontal position. The lenses 25 may be markedwith right and left characteristics as at 26 and 27, in Fig. 1. Themanipulation of the signals to indicate a left turn is similar in everyrespect to the operation indicating a right turn, except that the arm 7is moved into horizontal position, and the arm 6 remains in verticalposition.

In reduction to practice, I have found' that the form of my invention,illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, asthe-preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet,realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my devicewill necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minorchanges in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of theadvantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination with avehicle, a casing adapted to be secured to the rear of the vehicle, asemaphore arm pivotally mounted within said casing, means for swingingsaid semaphore arm outwardly from the cusing and into horizontalposition comprising an electrically operated magnet mounted within saidcasing, a sliding core slidably connected with said magnet, a downwardlyextended arm carried by said core, a plurality of links connecting saidarms and the semaphore arm, and means for locking said semaphore arm inclosed position within said casin comprising co-acting locking membersormed integrally with the semaphore and last mentioned arm.

2.-In a device of the character described, the combination with avehicle of a casing adapted to be secured to the rear of said vehicle, asemaphore arm pivotally mounted withln said casing, a lens carried bythe front wall of said casing, an electric bulb mounted within saidcasing rearwardly of said lens, said semaphore arm being adapted to beinterposed between the electric bulb and the lens when in a downposition, an electromagnet mounted within said casing, a sliding corefor said magnet, a downwardly extending arm carried by said core, aplurality of links connecting. said downwardly extending arm with thesemaphore arm, a laterally extending lu formed on said last named armintermediate the ends thereof and provided with a concaved underface,.the upper terminal of said semaphore arm being rounded and adaptedto engage the concaved face of the lug when the semaphore arm is in itsdown position and a laterally .extendin locking lug formed on saidsemaphore arm aving a recessed upper face and adapted for engagementwith the lower terminal of said last named arm when the semaphore arm isin its down position and lock said semaphore arm.

the combination with a vehicle of a casing adapted to be secured to therear of said veing lug having a recessed upper face formed integrallywith said semaphore arm intermedlate the ends thereof and said lastnamed lug adapted for looking engagement with r the free terminal ofsaid solenoid arm when the semaphore arm is in down position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE FREDRICK WATTS. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. GORDON, GEORGE A. HOODWELL.

